Happy Birthday to me...

Yesterday was my birthday and I love my birthday with my whole heart! It has nothing to do with ageing. It just makes me happy. I had to work yesterday, but I was with all of my work friends. Overall it was even a great day at work. I made cup cakes for everyone. They kind of gave me a hard time about bringing my own treats, but they all seemed to really enjoy them. I think I had just as much fun making them as they had eating them. Rick is going to take me out to dinner on Thursday and we are going to our favorite Chinese place in Mattawan called Chin Chin. It is so yummy and I am really looking forward to an evening with my hubby!

On the baby front, we went to the OB on Monday for our first appointment with the doctor. It was nice to meet her and I think we are really going to like her. She answered all of our questions and didn't think any of them were silly. She told us that she was going to try to hear the baby's heart beat, but that it is kind of early and she wasn't sure if we would be able to hear anything. The minute she put the doppler to my belly we heard the heart beat loud and clear. It was amazing, so amazing that I cried. As a nurse I have heard that sound a hundred times on echos and dopplers, but it is so much more unbelievable when it is your own. I could have listened to that for hours. The heart rate was 160 beats per minute. Modern medicine is amazing and I can't wait for the next doctors visit to I can hear that sound again!

She cried...

Ok so there is way more to the story. My mom and I picked her up from school and before we even left the school driveway Tabby yet again asked if I had a baby in my tummy. And again I didn't tell her the whole truth. I wanted Rick to be there. It was something we needed to do as a family. So once we got her back down here Rick and I took her aside and showed her the ultrasound picture of our little (very little) one. She was immediately excited. Then Rob and Carmen showed her their picture. She held both pictures and cried. I think she was just extremely overwhelmed. After we had dinner we took her home and stayed up until after 11:00 pm answering questions. Some crazy and some very important ones. Tabby is very excited about being and big sister! On Sabbath when we were in church she drew a picture for her new baby brother or sister. Then on Sunday before she had to leave to go back home, she wrote a note to her new sibling on her white board in her room. It was very sweet. There was only one time where she got a little sad and told me she was afraid we wouldn't love her as much now. I think she is going to need a lot of reassurance over the next few months! Below is her note...one of the sweetest things I have ever seen!

The note says (with some spelling corrections):

Hi baby sister or brother. It is your big sister. I am going to teach you when you are out of mama's tummy and you will like me so much that you will hug me so much.

Love Tabby From Tabby

The big day...

Today is it! I'm nervous and excited. Rick and I are going to tell Tabby about her baby brother/sister. I hope she is excited. I hope she will look forward to being a big sister. I hope her mother doesn't sabotage her. I hope we can help her through this transition. I can't wait to tell her, but I hope that it is the exciting moment I've hoped for. I hope God will grant us the wisdom to give her the right answers to her questions. Please pray for us today and for Tabby!

On a side note, today marks 9 weeks! Only 217 more days to go. WOO HOO!!!

Attempt #2...

I have tried this post once before and it all got erased somehow, so here goes my second try. Hopefully this will go better for me or I may just lose my patience and forget it for today!

Let me just start with yesterdays election. Yes, I did vote and I am extremely proud that I am able to participate in the process. I think that today is a new day for our country in light of yesterdays results. It will be interesting to watch and see what happens in the next four years. I hope that Obama is able to follow thorough on the promises he made. This country is in dire need of change and hopefully he is the man for the job. Now that is all I have to say about politics!

On to something more fun...my pregnancy! Friday will be the 9 week mark. We are getting closer and closer to the end of my first trimester. I think I am ready for that milestone! Pregnancy has brought some things I expected and some things I didn't. I was ready for the nausea, thankfully no vomiting yet! I thought I was ready to be tired. However I had no idea the degree to which I would be tired. It is a tired like I have never felt before and sometimes sleeping doesn't make it any better. I have also been surprised by how sore my joints and back are. I knew that came later on once the baby gets bigger, but was surprised to see it this early. I guess everything is getting stretched and ready. While some of these symptoms are unnerving, for the most part this is an amazing experience that I think God every day I am able to enjoy!

Now for a little update on the last month. A couple of weeks ago Rob (my brother) and I drove to Georgia to see my sister. The drive was long but tolerable. Most of the drive (especially the mountains) was beautiful with all the trees in full fall color. Once we got there we had a great time hanging out with Tracey and David. I haven't seen Tracey since her surgery and it was good to see her in person and know that she really is doing well! We had a great time playing cards, playing in the woods, and sitting by the fire in Tracey's back yard. It was very relaxing and enjoyable! Here are a few pics of our adventures.

Rob drove the whole way, even though I offered to help!

Where we spent a lot of time playing games! On this night we made the boys cry!

Evidence of our overwhelming victory!

Boys and their toys!

Tracey the fire master!

Apples we baked in the fire...YUMMY!

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil!

Last Wednesday Rick and I were able to drive up to Mackinaw for the day to see Tabby in her school Halloween program. It was worth every mile and every penny. The program was put on by the first and second graders and they all did a great job. They sang songs, recited poems and each class put on a short play. Each one of them were knew their lines and only a couple had stage fright. Tabby was a ghost and was part of a little skit about scary ghosts. Tabby loved having us there and we really loved being there.

Tabby in her Ghost skit.

The First and Second Graders of Mackinaw Public Schools! (Tabby is in the second row, second from the left).